Hell's Acres

by John Russell Fearn

When gambler Smoke Cavendish is attacked and robbed of his poker winnings, his assailants leave him to die in the desert. Determined to survive, he wanders until he stumbles into the town of Hell's Acres.

237 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

A prolific author in various genres under his own name, John Francis Russell Fearn also used these pseudonyms: Astron del Martia, Brian Shaw, Conrad G. Holt, Dennis Clive, Frank Jones, Geoffrey Armstrong, Griff, Hugo Blayn, John Russell, K. Thomas Mark Denholm, Paul Lorraine, Polton Cross, Spike Gordon, Thornton Ayre, Vargo Statten, Volsted Gridban, Dom Passante, John Cotton, Ephriam Winiki, Lawrence F. Rose, Earl Titan, Ephraim Winiki.

John Russell Fearn was an extremely prolific and popular British writer, who began in the American pulps, then almost single-handedly drove the post-World War II boom in British publishing with a flood of science fiction, detective stories, westerns, and adventure fiction. He was so popular that one of his pseudonyms became the editor of Vargo Staten’s Science Fiction Magazine in the 1950’s! His work is noted for its vigor and wild imagination. He has always had a substantial cult following and has been popular in translation around the world.

Reviews

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous Western by this great Author. Each and every story that John Russell Fearn writes is both unique and packed with adventure. I haven’t read one yet that I haven’t enjoyed. You would think after Larry ‘Smoke’ Cavindish’s parents were both gamblers and lost, that he would stay away from it. But like his parents he was drawn to it. He was lucky enough to win a thousand dollars at the tables, but not smart enough to keep his mouth shut about it. Smoke enjoyed a drink and he obviously told one too many people about his recent good fortune, as he was followed when he left. Three men set upon him and robbed him of all his cash, but not happy with that they had to shoot his horse and put a bullet into Smoke’s shoulder. He was lucky that the town of Hell’s Acres wasn’t very far away, and that the owner of the bar he stumbled into fixed him up, with the help of his girlfriend and employee Trixie Lee. When they found out Smoke was a gambler they enticed him into playing the wheel that night with the last of his money, and of course they wiped him out with a rigged wheel. So Smoke couldn’t wait to get out of there, and he wasn’t long on the trail when he came across the same three men that held him up doing the same to Brady Carmichael. However this time Smoke had the drop on them, and managed to get his money back and save Brady. Together they make a plan to go back to Hell’s Acres and make Mark Tarleton pay, and see if they can take away his advantage and make his gambling wheel legit. This was such an easy book to read, and very enjoyable. I would certainly recommend this story, especially if you like Westerns.

[Diane Jellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine Old Western reading

This is a fine story of good presiding over evil in a small Western town. Like the lying, cheating outlaws banded together so did the wronged townsfolk with direction from one man to achieve a peaceful place to live. Until the end I did not know which side would prevail.

[James T Siple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

Just finished reading it and while it really wasn't the type of western that I really like, it was still a good book. Also had an interesting story line. Not your usual type western. But I will try more books by this author.

[Masina Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Town Tyrant

A town under total control by a killer. The arrival of an outsider starts a change but odds are against him. Plenty of action and suspense. I highly recommend this author.